


My Mystery Man

by Your_Moon_Queen



Category: Inspector Gadget (Cartoon), Inspector Gadget (Live Action Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, CLAW IS IRVING, Coffee Shops, Fluff, GADGET IS GINO, GADGET IS NOT IRVING'S BOYFRIEND, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lots of Thinking, Love, M/M, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Poverty, Self-Harm, Shy, Slow Build, Teacher-Student Relationship, Vietnam War, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 08:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10850475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Your_Moon_Queen/pseuds/Your_Moon_Queen
Summary: Irving, a teacher at a college meets a strange quiet man named Gino in a coffee shop during the wake of the Vietnam War. Will they fall in love? Or is there already heartbreak to be had?





	1. Chapter 1

**@Roxanne Ava Manson Hayes of Clans Gunn,Seaton, and Wenzie, Moon Queen’s or Moon Child’s Daydream or Fantasy only not fading because someone believes I am here.**

 

**My Mystery Man Chapter 1,    April 2,2017**

 

A young man with striking dark hair was my first sight when I entered an unfamiliar coffee shop this Monday. His gaze did not meet my own when I looked straight at him. Instead his gaze was fixated on a Sherlock Holmes novel, he seemed so engrossed in his book, that he did not mind the world around him.

 

  *I thought to myself. A strange but beautiful creature, living in another world.  I could not help but to look at his left hand, searching for a wedding band but there was none to be found.*

    Was this man single, or maybe he took it off because he was having a an affair?  Maybe he was a widower?  Who is this handsome, young and seemingly unmarried man living in a country full of June brides?

 

_A mystery, my mystery you became that Monday morning._

 

  *The barista called to me from the counter, capturing my attention with her loud voice*

 

    So what can I get you?                                                                                                                            

  *I blushed, knowing she had seen me gazing intently at the man which was uncommon outside of gay bars and clubs,*

  I'll have one cup of coffee, black please.                                              

  Coming right up, that will be $2.50, sir!                                                                                           

  *I handed her a five dollar bill and told her to keep the change, she looked puzzled but I could care less about the change,  I had another  matter at hand. I stole another glance at my mystery man and heard her groan as she handed me my coffee.*

  Hey here's your coffee.                   

  *I quickly grabbed the hot cup of coffee, then gestured to the seated young man, talking in a quiet voice*

  Thank you. Is he a regular?

  *She replied quickly to me.*

 

  Yes he's a regular but I wouldn't bother him right now.

  *Taking her advice in earnest I sat down at a table across from him, as I drank my coffee, I continued watching him read his novel, I thought he would notice me staring but he never did.  So I just continued staring at him and looked at his eyes, then his beautiful eyes finally looked up into my own eyes, he stared back at me for a moment but then seeming startled he broke the gaze, got up out of his chair so fast  and ran out of the coffee shop frightened, leaving his book behind.*

I felt awful, I had only meant some harmless flirting, I didn't mean to scare him. I felt so guilty that once I was sure he was gone for at least five minutes

  *I picked his book off the table he had been sitting at and silently vowed to myself to that I would return it to him tomorrow.*

  *A letter fell out of the book, as I placed it in my arms and  it unfolded on the floor.  I hastily picked it up, I willed myself to close the letter and leave it untouched inside the book.*

 

_ But that man was so mysterious, I wanted to know more about him, so I began to read it. I couldn't help myself. Who was my mystery man? _


	2. A war in my heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irving read the letter.

**@Roxanne Ava Manson Hayes of Clans Gunn,Seaton, and Wenzie, Moon Queen’s or Moon Child’s Daydream or Fantasy only not fading because someone believes I am here.**

 

**_My Mystery Man- Chapter 2, A war in my heart,        April 3, 2017_ **

 

 

****_ The letter read,    
  
_

_ November 16, 1966 _

_ Dear my love Gino,  _

_        I know that my time away is difficult for you, and I am sorry I had to go. I did not want to fight in this war in North Vietnam, I want to come home to you and to my family.   I will come home one day. The conflict here has grown more violent as the days have passed, so many of the men I came here with are dead now. Recently I was ordered to attack a village with my squadron, we were told it was full of enemies and only men. I was ordered to kill everyone and leave no survivors, when I entered the village with my squadron we found no weapons, and three farmers. The village was full of women and children begging us for their lives,but due to the nature of this war we had to kill them all. Everyone is a threat here.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       _

_     The worst moment was when I looked under a floorboard and found a child crying for their mother, who I had just shot and laid bleeding on the ground. The child ran away from me into the forest, I couldn’t shoot another innocent however one of my comrades saw the child running and shot them down.  I watched that child die ,I feel like a murderer now even though our government has told us all what we are doing here in North Vietnam is right. But nothing about this war feels right anymore, I fear I’m losing my sense of right and wrong and that when I return to you, I won’t be the same man you fell in love with. Though don’t worry, I swear to you, I will make it home. _

 

_       Knowing you are safe and that you will not be drafted for the army like I was is the only solace my mind finds these days. I would not be able to forgive myself if something happened to you over here, though I can not stop imagining,  What if you were Vietnamese and living over here? What if I didn’t know you yet and just shot you down like I did the women and children in that village today?  My thoughts are muddled, my mind is a mess. I have to go now. I love you. Be safe and remember to attend your classes at the university. Your intelligence and enrollment at the university are the only things that keeps you from being drafted into this army. I love you and I think of your often. _

 

_     I do not think I will ever understand this war, or be able to forgive myself for the lives I have taken with my own hands. But I have to prepare, tonight we will march into enemy territory. There will be landmines everywhere that the enemy has placed, but I will not die. _

_ I will come home. _

 

_                    With all my love, _

 

_                  Vincent Donald Redford _

 

 

*After reading the letter, I abruptly closed it. I truly felt like an intruder into this man’s world. My face paled and I tucked the letter back into the novel, walking outside of the cafe, I passed a television set store. All the televisions were on, and all were showing the live footage from Vietnam, I could not make myself look away from the television screens. I stood there in front of the window watching the screens for over ten minutes, I had seen the footage before but now after reading that letter, this war felt more real to me. I watched as an American soldier was blown to bits from a landmine, the impact of the blow pushing his comrades back, the blood was everywhere, a tear fell from my eye and I made myself begin to walk away from the television set store and to my apartment.*

*I entered my apartment feeling empty and sad, I threw the newspaper in the trash before I even read it, I could not think about the Vietnam War anymore. I opened a kitchen cabinet and grabbed my bottle of vodka, without bothering to get a glass i just opened it and drank until my mind felt numb and forgetful of the harsh reality I had just seen on the television screens and in the newspaper and read in that letter. Finally I found relief, I willed myself to go to bed early the Monday night so I could get up when the coffee shop opened the next morning.*

 

*The next morning when I woke up I was exhausted, the night before had been dreamless. I willed myself out of bed, got ready and before 6am I was out of my apartment the book in my arms waiting outside of the coffee shop. The barista came in at about 7am that morning finding me sitting on the sidewalk, re-reading  that letter silently, my eyes glued on the written words.*

****

*When she arrived to open the doors she looked at me shocked and cursed softly-      

****

What the hell are you doing here so early? We are not even open yet! Have you been here all night? Christ don’t tell me you’re homeless, the last thing I need is more trouble from the police! 

****

*I stood up off the sidewalk and slipped the letter back into the book silently and face her with a stern tone in my voice,*

****

Miss, I am sorry for startling you. I am not from America, however I do have a home, and a job. I am a professor of science and engineering here at the university. I like to have my coffee early, first thing in the morning because it takes my mind off of teaching. There’s no need to worry about me.                                                                                               

****

*She glanced at me, and smiled embarrassed*

****

  I apologize for my rude remarks, Sir. Though it is hardly an excuse, my mother and I have been running this coffee shop ever since my father and older brother were drafted in the army and sent away to Vietnam. I am the security here now so I have to make myself stay on my toes every day.  You may come in with me if you like, I will prepare your order first thing today!                                                                                                  

****

*I looked back at her with an apologetic look on my face and spoke to her.*

****

Do not worry about it. I would like to come inside now though. 

****

*She unlocked and opened the door, and went in, leaving it ajar for me. I followed her silently and took down a chair off a table across from the table where my mystery man always sat. With the book in hand I gently placed it in my lap.*

****

  Coffee, black please!                        

****

 *She nodded and had the coffee prepared for me and brought it to my table.*

****

No charge today for you, Sir. Think of this as an apology for my rudeness towards you this morning. 

*I gently replied,*

Thank you very much. That will be all. 

****

*Then I waited until he arrived at the coffee shop, he got there at about 9am, he did not even look at me when he came in. He had another book, though this time it was an English textbook he was reading while he walked towards his usual table.*

****

*In an attempt to not frighten him again like I did yesterday, I waited for him to sit, noting that he did not even order coffee, instead hot tea with honey in it. Finally he sat down in the chair and relaxed, and began to drink the tea. I must have waited for an hour until I finally arose out of my seat with the book in my hands.*

****

*I slowly walked towards his table, I looked at him, searching for any signs of fright, but he did not seem to notice me even approaching, he was too busy reading his English textbook, such a devoted student I thought to myself. Finally I was next to him, and I gently tapped him on the shoulder.*

****

 Excuse me, but yesterday you left your book here. I picked it up for you, so I could return it to you today. Here’s your book. 

****

*The mystery man looked up at me with a fearful look in his eyes, and grabbed the book out of my hands and held to his chest, clutching it like a precious treasure, and abandoning his English textbook leaving it open on the table. I started to walk away, maybe he did not want to talk to me, but he spoke softly with a sadness in his voice, making me turn around to face him again.*

Thank you for picking up my book yesterday. A dear friend gave it to me. May I ask your name?                                                                                                                               

****

             *I looked back at the younger man trying to keep my composure.*

****

 My name is Irving. And you are very welcome. It was the least I could do. I hate to see good books abandoned.                    

****

*He smiled back at me, and extended his hand to me*

****

My name is Gino. It’s nice to know that you value books as well. Though I need to study, could you please go away now? I have a test tomorrow.                                                                                                                               

****

*Slightly crestfallen I looked at him, speaking in the kindest voice I could manage*

****

                      Of course, and it’s very nice to meet you, Gino. Good luck on your test. 

****

*I started to walk away back to my table, when he started speaking to me again and grabbed my free hand turning me around to face him again giving me a slight shock*

****

Sorry about that...I don’t like losing eye contact with someone when I am talking to them. But it’s nice to meet you too,Irving. And thank you again. You can go now.              

****

*I gazed into Gino’s eyes and smiled at him, letting him clutch my arm until finally he let go, releasing me, I walked back to my table and sat down again, and drank some of my coffee. I noticed him opening his Sherlock Holmes novel, and pulling out the letter, unfolding it and beginning to re-read it.*

****

    He seemed relieved to have it back, I was glad I could return it to him. But would we interact any further then this I pondered, or had I gone too far already? I knew I did not have the liberty to come to this coffee shop every day, after all I did have one class to teach at the university.                                                                                                                      

****

*Looking down at my coffee, I let out a soft smile*

****

  At least he spoke to me and did not run away from me terrified today, I guess that is a start, maybe at the least we can be friends?

****

*I gazed back at Gino looking at his beautiful silhouette illuminated by the sunlight pouring in through the window, and sighed to myself again*

****

 He was beautiful, truly a work of art, his lover Vincent was lucky to have him even if he was away at war. He would be any artists dream model. But why do I always want what I cannot have? He has a boyfriend. 

*Before I knew it, night had come and the man was gone, the barista was lecturing me and telling me she needed to close shop,  I looked at her still dazed from earlier and left the coffee shop quietly.*

****

***AUTHOR’S NOTE-Start listening to this here-** [ **https://youtu.be/_NP_z6LmscI** ](https://youtu.be/_NP_z6LmscI) *****

****

*I descended into the darkness of the night, and began to walk to my apartment avoiding all the storefronts. Finally I arrived at my apartment building and walked the stairs to my apartment and unlocked the door, quietly, in an attempt to make myself want to rest, I turned on the record player, and placed a record on it, Wolfgang Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C Major. I let the music play through my apartment and sat down in my favorite chair and tried to clear my mind.*

****

 *But it was to no avail, the memory of Gino illuminated by the sunlight was all I could think of. *

****

This was turning into madness, for God’s sake he was a taken man. And I was a professor, he was a student at the university. Had my common sense left me because I was intrigued by a mystery that was a man?                                                                                             

****

*I affirmed to myself to that indeed common sense must have left me, for usually I was not so foolish. I could look at men all day long lustily and then dispel them all from my mind before the next day began. However Gino was an exception to my normal way of living, this was simply not the case with him.*

****

*I turned off the record player angry at my own mind and kicked the air in front of me, begging for my thinking to cease, but that was a lost cause, my thinking continued no silence  was found for me.*

****

*As I went to bed finally lying down to rest, as I closed my eyes I gently thought once more*

****

      I needed a reason to return here and talk to Gino again...No I wanted a reason...Could I make one? Yes of course I could make one, but maybe I should come again tomorrow and observe him after a quiet greeting. I agreed with myself automatically, affirming to myself to take a passive approach, after all I did not want to frighten him in a world full of monsters and death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter will come. Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> This is chapter one, there will be more to come.  
> Gino and Irving belong to InterpolisUnderInvestigation and myself. You can visit us on Tumblr- https://interpolisunderinvestigation.tumblr.com/


End file.
